48 HOURS

BSC Yeltz 1 Birmingham City 3

20 January 2003

2 days later and it doesn't get any cheerier. We're now out of the B'ham Senior Cup, losing 3-1 at The Grove to Blues. We equalised through Phil Trainer after half-time, but lost to two late goals to a team that surprisingly enough had few stars on show.

Saturday takes us to Tamworth in what is potentially the hardest game of the season. Still, we have absolutely nothing to lose, so let's go all out to cause what would be a major upset. Stranger things have happened. Maybe.

The difficult start to 2003 continued with Halesowen bowing out of the Birmingham Senior Cup in their third successive defeat of the New Year.

Andrew BARROWMAN gave the Blues' youngsters a 12th minute lead by firmly heading home a cross from Danny Carter who broke down the left-wing. Tim Clarke then made a fine one-handed stop from Carter on 22 minutes after initially seeming to dive the wrong way. Tony Capaldi did beat Clarke in the 39th minute with Carter rolling the ball into the empty net but the effort was disallowed for offside.

After the break, Phil Trainer produced Halesowen's first real shot on target but his 25-yard strike was collected at the second attempt by goalkeeper Scott Flinders. Richard Colwell then struck the side-netting from a 56th minute long ball from Les Hines. The Yeltz equalised in the 66th minute when TRAINER's cross from the left deceived Flinders to drift into the top corner of the net. With Halesowen briefly on top, John Newall touched a Karl Brennan corner onto the underside of the crossbar, with the rebound being fired high.

The Premiership side wrapped up the tie with two late goals. Tony CAPALDI clinically finished off a 79th minute cross from substitute James Beauchamp from 12 yards out. The third goal arrived a minute from time with Barrowman put through on the break and he drew out Clarke before crossing for substitute Dean CURTIS to tap home.